i'm carol costell you. thank y thank you for being with me. "cnn newsroom" continues now with ashleigh banfield. >>> most important, anticipation of the first face-off is a mile high. in ten short hours, the president and his republican challenger are going to share this stage for 90 minutes of give and take on issue number one. and a few other domestic policy flashpoints as well. the economy is due to take up three of the six segments that are laid out for tonight, with one segment each devoted to health care, the role of government and leadership/governing style. and by a pretty wide margin going in right now, the voters expect president obama is going to outdebate his opponent, but both men have taken great pains to downplay their own chances, downplay the expectations. our dan lothian is up very early at the university of denver. and, dan, i understand this is the fourth time that these two men have really ever encountered one another in person. is that expected to have any effect when they meet each other on stage? >> well, certainly this